1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information converting apparatus that converts contents of content and right information in accordance with right management functions of the user, and that, in particular, promotes the use of content distribution services and electronic ticket services.
2. Description of Related Art
In recent years, with the spread of the Internet, services such as distribution of music and image through the Internet have become common. In addition, commercial services that distribute music to mobile telephone terminals through mobile communication networks have also started. According to the above systems, content that is distributed is recorded into a memory card installed in the mobile terminal and then played through player functions of the mobile terminal. Or, the memory card in which the distributed content is recorded is attached to a dedicated audio player and a playback is performed using this.
In order to protect the copyright of the content, such systems may provide limitations (condition of use) that set limits against moving data recorded in one memory card to another memory card and that set limits on the number of times of checkouts, that is, the number of times the data recorded into a memory card can be copied onto another memory card. Terminals and memory cards used in such systems are provided with use right management (DRM: digital right management) functions for keeping to the condition of use, whereby the use of content is performed in compliance with the condition of use.
FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram schematically showing an example of a conventional content distribution system. This system comprises production unit 10 that produces content, distribution controller 11 that distribute the content, portal 12 that offers portal pages for content selection for a user, content controller 14 that obtains the content through network 13, and storage 15 that stocks the content.
Although not shown in the figure, production unit 10 comprises a content production terminal that executes the authoring of content and sets content use rights, and a content registering terminal that registers the produced content with the server. The content produced above is, for example, multimedia data and ticket data.
Distribution controller 11 comprises, again not shown in the figure, a delivery gateway server that performs the delivery of the registered content, and a sales clearing server that performs the selling of content and fee-charge processing.
Portal 12 is a platform server that performs membership authentication and offers portal pages. Network 13 is a PHS network and the Internet and such. Content controller 14 is a PHS terminal or PC with player functions and storage 15 is a recorder media such as an SD card.
In this system, production unit 10 first generates and transmits to distribution controller 11 content, right information that provides the condition of use of the above content, and catalogue information for portal pages (information such as the titles of songs and singers, in case the content is music). Here the contents of the right information is set in accordance with the DRM functions of content controller 14 and storage 15. For example, if storage 15 has function for counting the number of checkout times, the number of checkout times is set as the right information.
Distribution controller 11 then registers the catalog information with portal 12. The user accesses portal 12 through content controller 14, retrieves the songs that he wants to purchase from the portal screen, and thus makes a purchase. Meanwhile, the content the user purchased and its right information is downloaded to content controller 14 from distribution controller 11 via network 13, and content controller 14 stores the downloaded content and its right information in storage 15. Upon execution of the content, a playback of the content is performed in accordance with the right information, using content controller 14 or a dedicated playback apparatus.
Meanwhile, a great number of content distributors exist that provides music content, and the format of description of right information pertaining to content varies from supplier to supplier. Then, in order to cope with such variation in the format of description, the provision of a converting section in a PC (content controller) has been proposed (see JP,2001-202088,A) whereby right information described in a certain format is converted to a different format without changing the contents thereof. By providing such a converting section, several contents from respective suppliers can be handled on a PC while maintaining the protection of the copyright.
Of late, however, the subject matter of distribution content has been expanding to various types of content such as books, image, and software, while distributors have been respectively trying to discriminate the contents of services in order to promote their originality. Under the above circumstances, there has been a trend of diversification of content right information not only in description format but also in their actual contents.
Examples of the above limitations are as follows and vary depending on right information: the number of generation numbers that are allowed to copy content is limited; the term is limited such that content can be used from a certain date to another date; the term is limited such that content can be used for a certain number of days; and the cumulative hours of use and the cumulative number of times of use are provided.
With these new conditions of use thus provided, the production of terminals and recording mediums with compatible DRM functions comes forth. In such case, if a device such as a terminal or a recording medium with DRM functions then in current use cannot use content at all with new conditions of use such as above, or if a certain device with DRM functions set in accordance with certain services cannot use content from other services, the convenience of the content distribution system as well as the user's trust in the system will be lost. This is a problem that can destroy the seed of system development.
In addition, if the right information of content has become diversified and the DRM functions of content controllers and storages also diversify along with this, the following problem will come forth.
Unless the user has a clear idea what DRM functions his own content controller and storage have, making a right purchase of usable content from respective distribution services in an adequate manner is difficult. Even given identical storages, there are cases where content and services that can be used vary depending on the features of the content controller. It is furthermore extremely difficult to keep up with accurate understanding of diversified performance and functions of devices and performance and functions of combined devices
Therefore, if there is content that the DRM function of the user's device does not support in the content displayed on a portal page, there is a threat that the user erroneously purchases content that he cannot use.
Furthermore, when the user attempts to make a purchase of a new content controller, he may fear that the new model may not support the content that he has stocked in storage up till then.